Lift truck scrap loading attachment



March 28, 1961 D. E. HAMMOND LIFT TRUCK SCRAP LOADING ATTACHMENT 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 13, 1957 INVENTOR J0)? [0 901770777270.770

' March 28, 1961 D. E. HAMMOND 2,977,008

LIFT TRUCK SCRAP LOADING ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 15, 1957 v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 14 "il I 1 g IN VE NTOIi fia/e [dyar fizz/722220220.

March 28, 1961 D. E. HAMMOND 2,977,008

LIFT TRUCK SCRAP LOADING ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 13, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR fla /e [03701770122770.2707

ATTORNEY March 28, 1961 D. E. HAMMOND 2,977,008

LIFT TRUCK SCRAP LOADING ATTACHMENT Filed Nov. 13, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 N INVENTOR 1% H N 016 [aka/77012227202207 United rates Patent- LIFT TRUCK SCRAP LOADING ATTACHMENT Dale Edgar Hammond, Portland, reg., assignor to Continental Can Company, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Nov. 13, 1957, Ser. No. 696,279

6 Claims. (Cl. 214-315) The invention relates to 'a lift truck scrap loading attachment.

As is generally known, scrap and particularly metallic scrap as results from the use of various forms of metal working machines is of considerable value and some is salvaged for further use.

The salvaging of the scrap has, however, heretofore, required considerable time and effort, and the routine of present salvaging operations is substantially as follows: Wheeled rectangular tubs are provided for receiving a mass of the scrap but baling wires are first laid in the tubs which are then transported to a machine by which the successive tubs are filled with scrap. The filled tubs are next transported to a station where the scrap is pressed down in the tubs and baled, after which the tubs with baled masses of scrap are transported to a dumping area where the bales of scrap are machine dumped from the tubs. Finally the baled masses or bundles of scrap are loaded into a railroad car by means of a lift truck provided with special forks.

It is accordingly a primary object of this invention to provide an attachment which is releasably engageable with a standard fork lift truck and which embodies scrap.

tub supporting and dumping means whereby a tub filled with loose scrap is moved by the truck to a dumping position adjacent a side of a railroad car and the tub dumped under control of the operator of the truck.

A further and more specific object of the invention is the provision of a fork lift truck engageable scrap tub dumping attachment which is of open frame-like construction and which embodies realtively few simple cooperating elements whereby the attachment is capable of manufacture at relatively low cost, is durable in use and efiicient in operation.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent in the course of the following detailed description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In-the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of the improved scrap loading attachment in accordance with a preferred structural embodiment thereof.

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view substantially in a plane midway of the opposite sides of the attachment.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of one end of the attachment as observed in the plane of line 33 on Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a transverse vertical sectional view substantially as observed in the plane of line 4-4 on Figure 1.

Figure 5 is an elevational view of the opposite end of the attachment as observed in the plane of line 5-5 on Figure 1. g

' Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view as observed in the plane of line 6-6 on Figure l.

Figure 7 is a view corresponding to Figure 2 and showice ing a scrap tub in horizontal transporting position and also in a dumped position in dot-and-dash lines.

In connection with Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6, it is to-be observed that only the structure adjacent the respective observing planes is shown in order to avoid confusion,

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the improved attachment is of open frame-like construction and generally comprises a pair of elongated, laterally spaced and parallel base members 10 which are of inverted channel form. Disposed at the left hand end of the frame as observed in Figures 1 and 2 are a pair of angle bars 11 which project upwardly from corresponding ends of the base bars 10 in parallel relation and which are connected adjacent their upper end by a flat bar 12 dis posed inwardly of the angle bars 11.

An angle bar 13 is disposed upon and transversely of the base bars 10 and with one leg thereof engaged with the vertical bars 11, and supported by said bar 13 is an angle bar latch support 14 to the upper end of which is pivotally connected, as at 15, a fork lift truck engageable latch 16. An angle bar 17 also spans the base bars 10 and an obliquely disposed brace bar 18 has its opposite ends secured to the bar 17 and the upper end of the latch supporting bar 14.

The bar l2 is provided with a bracket 19 in which is rotatably supported a cable engaging pulley 20 for a purpose later described.

Disposed between the opposite ends of the base bars 10 are a pair of vertically disposed angle'bars 21 whose upper ends are connected by a transverse angle bar 22 which supports a bracket 23 intermediate its ends, and a pair of angle members 24 overlie the angle bar 22.

An angle bar 25 is disposed transversely of the vertical angle bars 21 adjacent the lower ends thereof and same is provided with a pair of spaced cars 26 between which the lower end of a lever 27 is pivoted as at 28.

The lever 27 projects above the bracket 23 and the lever is provided with a tub latch member 29 which for sake of strength comprises a pair of fingers 30 which project upwardly and are inclined away from the lever, and same serve as a cam later referred to. The said fingers 30 are preferably reinforced by a short cylindrical member 31 which is welded to the ends of the fingers, and the fingers are welded to the lever 27.

A pair of coil springs 32 have their opposite ends connected to the bracket 23 and the upper end of lever 27 for normally holding same in the position indicated in Figures 1 and 2.

A channel bar 33 is preferably disposed beneath the angle bar 25 for reinforcement purpose. A cable 34 has one end thereof secured to the upper end of lever 27, as at 35, and the cable passes over the pulley 20 and the free end thereof is accessible to a fork lift truck operator for a purpose later referred to.

Each vertical angle bar 21 is provided with a bracket 36 in which is rotatably journalled a pulley 37.

A pair of vertical angle bars 38 project upwardly from base bars 10, and which are of substantially less length.

ends thereof lap the angle bars 21 below the upper ends thereof.

A relatively heavy coil spring 43 surrounds each anglebar 42 with one end thereof engaged with the correspondmg angle bar 21, and the opposite ends of the coil springs V are engaged by hooks 44 with each of which is engaged 3. an end of'acable 45 which extends over'the respective pulleys 37 and 40, and each cable is connected to a pivoted anchor 46 on a tub control and return bail member47.

The bail member 47*is n-iore clearly shown in Figure and same comprises an upper horizontal bar-48' and opposite side bars 49 each of which is provided with a cable control pin Stl. The lower ends of the side bars 49 are pivoted on pins 51 which are welded-to members 52 each of which includes a seat 53 for an end of a tub axle A (Figure 7) and a portion 54 which is welded to angled plates 41. The bail member 4-? is preferably reinforced at its uppercorners by means of gusset plates 55 and short cylindrical members 56 which are welded to the bars 48 and 49. V

The base bars are each provided witha plate-10a at'the lift truck engaging endsthereof, which plates are welded to the lower edges of the side flanges of the bar. 19in the provision of truck fork receiving channels 10 (Figure 3).

Having set forth the preferred structure of the attachment, the operation thereof will now be set forth with reference to Figure 7.

The scrap tubs T are successively loaded with scrapby a machine at a filling station after which same are delivered to a car loading station. In the loading operation, a fork lift truck is moved into position at the left hand end of the attachment as observed in Figures 1, 2 and 7 whereupon the truck forks engage within the channels 10* and simultaneously therewith the latch 1d automatically engages the truck, the truck is then moved forwardly with the attachment and the projecting ends of the tub axle A are engaged'within the pivot seats 53, and the upper left hand corner of the tub engages beneath the latch member 2%.

The truck with the loaded tub is then advanced on a ramp or the like to a position at the side of a railroad car. The lift member of the truck is then elevate-d to a position whereby the loaded tub is disposed above the top of the car. The truck operator then grasps the cable 34 and pulls the levers 27 to the dot-and-dash position in Figure 7 with a resulting disengagement of the latch 29, and due to the fact that the tub pivot axle A is disposed off-center, the tub will move about the axis of axle A to the lower dot-and-dash position thereof with a resulting dumping of the scrap into the railroad car.

As observed in Figure 7 the upper bar 48 of the pivoted bail 47 engages the upper edge of the tub T adjacent its above referred to corner and same moves with the tubabout' pins 51 with a resulting compression of the springs 43 by means of the cables 45 and the hooksdd.

- The expansive efiort of the compressed springs is such as to immediately return the emptytub to its normal horizontal position. Asis'indicated in Figure 7 pins 50 areout of contact with the cables 45 in the dumped position of bail 47 and upon retuin of the bail such pins will engage the cables 55 as'in Figure 2 with a resulting arrest movement of the bail in its normal vertical position.

With reference to Figure 7, it is to be observed that while lever 27 is shown in dot-and-dash lines in tub releasing position, such position of the lever is only momentary, and when the tub is in its dumping position, thelatch member 29 has been returned to its normal position by means of springs 32. Upon return of the unloaded tub the said corner thereof engages the outer inclined finger 3i and by a camming action thereof momentarily moves the lever--27 until the said corner ofthe tub again engages beneath the latch member 29.

After, a. durnping operation, the empty tub is moved by the. truck to the loading'station after whichanother loaded tub is engaged by the attachment for a dumping operation.

- The, improved attachment, asabove described, has many advantagesin the dispensing of scrap material. In. thepresent method of dispensing with scrap material by 4 useof wheeled tubs, baling wires are first laid in thetub, after which the tub is delivered to a filling machine. The filled tub is then delivered to a storage area. The s'crap is then pressed down in the tub and baled by the wires referred to. The tub is then delivered to a dumping station where same is pushed into a dumping machine, dumped and then removed from the machine. The tub is then returned to the storage area and finally the baled scrap is loaded into a railroad car by means of a lift truck having special'forks. I

In the use of the present attachment, the tub is delivered to a filling machine, and then moved to a storage area. The loaded tub is'then picked up at the storage area by the present attachment and dumped directly into a railroad car after which the empty tub is returned to the storage area.

The advantages of the present attachment accordingly include elimination of 'baling wire, elimination of a baling operation, elimination of multiple handling, and elimination of misuse of lift trucks under present loading conditions.

Having set forth the invention in accordance with-a preferred structural embodiment thereof, what is claimed and desired to be secured by US. Letters Patent is:

I claim:

1. A removable attachment for a forklift truck comprising an elongated open frame structure, latch means on one end of said structure for releasably engagement with the lift member of the truck to releasably retain said frame structure on the lift truck lift member for movement therewith, means on the other end of said structure at the base portion thereof for receiving the opposite ends of an axle on a rectangular scrap filled tub and which axle is dis-. posed off transverse center of the tub, movable latch means at the upper portion of said other end of the frame structure normally engageable with an upper corner ofsaid tub for retaining same in horizontal transport position and said movable latch means upon movement thereof permitting dumping of said tub upon rotation thereof about the axis of said axle, and combined lever and spring means engageable with the tub and automatically operative upon discharge of the scrap from said tub for automatically returning same to its normal horizontal transporting position.

2. A removable attachment for a fork lift truck con1 prising an elongated open frame structure, means'on one end of said structure for releasable engagement with the lift member of said truck for movement of the attachment with the truck, means on the opposite end of said struc' tureremovably receiving oppositeends of an axle on the bottom of a scrap filled tub and wherein said axle is disposed off transverse center of the tub for automatic dumping of the tub when not restrained, latch means on said structure normally engageable with an upper corner of said tub for holding same in horizontal transport posir tion, spring means on said structure biasing saidtub to said horizontal transport position, lever means for releasmg said latch means for swinging movement of the scrap filled tub about said axle for dumping the scrap, and

means engageable by said tub remote from said axle for compressing said spring means in its swinging dumping action and said compressed spring means returning to, nor mal position and returning the empty tub to its normal horizontal transport position.

3. An attachment for a fork lift truck comprising an movable latch means at the upper portion of the said other end of the frame structure normally engageable with an upper corner of said tub for retaining same in horizontal transport position and said movable means upon movement thereof permitting dumping of said tub upon rotation thereof about the axis of said axle, and combined lever and spring means automatically operative upon discharge of the scrap from said tub for automatically returning same to its normal horizontal transporting position, said last means including a bail member pivoted concentric with said axle and having a bar engaged by said tub, a pair of coil springs supported by said frame structure and cable connections between said bail member and said springs for compression of the springs upon pivoted dumping movement of the tub.

4. An attachment for a fork lift truck comprising an elongated open frame structure, means on one end of said of said structure for releasable engagement with the lift member of said truck for movement of the attachment with the truck, means on the opposite end of said structure removably receiving opposite ends of an axle on the bottom of a scrap filled tub and wherein said axle is disposed ofi" transverse center of the tub for automatic dumping of the tub when not restrained, latch means on said structure normally engageable with an upper corner of said tub for holding same in horizontal transport position, spring means on said structure biasing said tub to said horizontal transport position, lever means for releasing said latch means for swinging movement of the scrap filled tub about said axle for dumping the scrap, and means engageable by said tub for compressing said spring means in its swinging dumping action and said compressed spring means returning to normal position and returning the empty tub to its normal horizontal transport position, said spring means including a pair of elongated coil springs, said frame structure including a pair of laterally spaced horizontal bars disposed within said coil springs, a bail member engageable by said tub and pivotally connected to said frame structure on the axis of said axle and cable connections between said springs and said bail member.

5. An attachment for a fork lift truck comprising an elongated open frame structure, means on one end of said structure for releasable engagement with the lift member of said truck for movement of the attachment with the truck, means on the opposite end of said structure removably receiving opposite ends of an axle on the bottom of a scrap filled tub and wherein said axle is disposed off transverse center of the tub for automatic dumping of normally engageable with an upper corner of said tub for holding same in horizontal transport position, spring means on said structure biasing said tub to said horizontal transport position, lever means for releasing said latch means for swinging movement of the scrap filled tub about said axle for dumping the scrap, and means engageable by said tub for compressing said spring means in its swinging dumping action and said compressed spring means returning to normal position and returning the empty tub to its normal horizontal transport position, said latch means including a vertically disposed lever, tub engaging fingers rigid with said lever, spring means disposed between said structure and said lever for normally holding the latch means in tub engaging position, and a cable engaged with said lever for moving same with said latch means against the action of said spring means.

6. A removable attachment for a fork lift truck comprising an elongated open frame structure, latch means on one end of said structure for releasable engagement with the lift member of the truck to releasably retain said frame structure on the lift truck lift member for movement therewith, means on the other end of said structure at the base portion thereof for receiving the opposite ends of an axle on a rectangular scrap filled tub and which axle is disposed off transverse center of the tub, movable late-h means at the upper portion of the said other end of the frame structure normally engageable with an upper the tub when not restrained, latch means on said structure corner of said tub for retaining same in horizontal transport position and said movable latch means upon movement thereof permitting dumping of said tub upon rotation thereof about the axis of said axle, and combined lever and spring means carried by said frame structure and engageable with the tub remote from the axle thereof automatically operative upon discharge of the scrap from said tub for automatically returning same to its normal horizontal transporting position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,304,649 McDaniels Dec. 8, 1942 2,827,184 Mueller Mar. 18, 1958 FOREIGN PATENTS 763,651 Great Britain Dec. 12, 1956 1,079,667 France May 19, 1954 

